Williams leaves Zimbabwe on the edge; Bavuma, Galiem hit fifties

Lizaad Williams‘ second three-wicket haul in two days left Zimbabweans reeling at 120 for 7 in their second dig against CSA Invitation XI at Paarl, with a measly lead of 29. The hosts were earlier lifted to 287 in their first innings, courtesy half-centuries from Temba Bavuma and Dayyaan Galiem.

Having snared a 91-run lead, Williams led CSA Invitation XI’s charge, bowling the visitors’ first-innings top-scorer, Hamilton Masakadza, off the second delivery of the innings. A 49-run second-wicket stand between Solomon Mire (20) and Craig Ervine (34) steadied Zimbabweans after the early wobble, but Ervine’s dismissal – via Williams – in the 13th over led to the tourists subsiding from 50 for 1 to 107 for 7. Ryan Burl (17*) and Chamu Chibhaba (48) kept vigil at stumps on second day even as Shaun von Berg and Michael Cohen finished with two wickets apiece.

Earlier, CSA Invitation XI’s resumption on 55 for 3 on second day featured a collapse of its own – 5 wickets for 61 runs – which was bookended by fifty stands. While Bavuma anchored the first, in Tladi Bokako’s (41) company, with his 70-run knock, Galiem’s 54-ball 57 steered the second, with von Berg (24), helping the side scramble past 250 even in the face of a four-for from Graeme Cremer.